Trap-nest.



No. 860,880. I PATENTED JULY 23, 1907. W. E. OLMSTED.

TRAPNEST.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 27,1906.

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WILL E. OLMSTED, OF COUDERSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAP-NEST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907'.

Application filed November 27, 1906. Serial No. 345.369.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILL E. OLMsTED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Coudersport, in the county of Potter and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trap-Nests, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

illy invention relates to improvements in trap-nests, the general object of which is to isolate the hen, while in the nest, with a view to identifying her egg for purpose of breeding, or with a view to preventing the intrusion upon her of dogs, cats or vermin7 or to preventing the overcrowding of the nest by other hens and the consequent breaking of the eggs and the formation of the egg-eating habit among the hens.

One feature of my invention is to provide a trap-nest of the general class just described in which the nest proper will be readily removable from the inclosing box, thus permitting the nest to be readily cleaned.

Another feature of my invention is the provision of means whereby the shutter may be made to lock itself in closed position.

A third feature of my invention lies in the provision of a simple and ellicient closing mechanism for the opening to the nest.

Other features of my invention will be pointed out in the description which follows hereinafter.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of my invention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle, Figure l is a central longitudinal sectional view of my new trap-nest; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same on the line A-A, of y Fig. l.; Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. -2, the shutter being shown in closed position; and Fig. 4 is a detail hereinafter referred to.

The iuclosing box a is preferably a slatted structure, the opening between the slats allowing free circulation of air. The top of the box a is provided with a hinged lid b which may be locked down in place by the catch c. The front of the box a is formed with an opening Z for the admission and exit of the hen` Across the bottom of the box a the wire eis stretched the ends of which (not shown) are anchored in the side walls of the box.

The tray or nest proper f is made up of two principal parts, to wit, the nest-box g and the platform h, and is formed with a transverse groove 'i adapted to receive the wire e, which serves as a fulcrum or support about which the tray tilts or swings. The nest-box end of the tray is normally held elevated by means of a coilspring j one end of which is secured to a wall of the nest-box and the other end of which is attached to the box a. To the front end of the platform h is secured a lug or finger It' the front end of which engages in a'hole m formed in the toothed sector n pivotally mounted on the front wall o, which is formed with the opening d,

above referred to. Fulcrumed at p in the front wall o is a lever q the lower end of which is formed with teeth r which mesh with the teeth of the sector n and to the upper end of which is secured a shutter or cover s adapted to close the opening d, when the hen occupies the nest-box g. Above the opening d is pivotally mounted a swinging catch or detent tand to the shutter s is secured an ear u in the path of which, as the shutter swings into closing position, lies the lower end of the detent t. Near the end of its travel towards the opening d; the ear u strikes the lower end of the detent t and throws it out of the way; but as soon as the ear has passed the lower end of the detent, the latter falls back by gravity and locks the shutter in its closing position. To make inoperative the locking arrangement just described, the outer or front end of the shaft 'v to which the detent t is secured is bent at right angles to the body portion of the shaft, and the outer face of the front wall o is provided with a stop w. By throwing the bent portion of the shaft 11 over until it rests on the stop w, the detent t is turned so that its lower end is no longer in the path of the ear u.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description and an inspection of the drawings.

The hen enters through the opening d and steps into the nest-box g, whereupon the weight of the hen depresses the nest-box end of the tray f against the tension of the coil-spring j. The tilting of the tray duc to the Weight of the hen raises the finger k, thereby rotating the sector n and swinging the arm or lever g upon its pivot p so that the shutter s is moved from its position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3. In traveling from left toright in Figs. 2 and 3, the ear 'it strikes the lower end of the detent t and throws it into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3. After the ear has passed, the detent swings back to its full-line position in Figs. 2 and 3 and locks the shutter s in the position shown in Fig. 3. The shutters may be released by moving the bent end of shaft o to which detent t is secured to the left. (See Fig. 4.) In case it is not desired to utilize this automatic locking arrangement, the

detent t is turned by means of the shaft o into the dotted line position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. When the hen jumps out of the nest-box g onto the platform h, the

coil-spring j raises the nest-box end of the tray f and thereby throws down the platform end thereof, the weight of the hen aiding in this operation. The lowering of the platform end of the tray will cause the shutter s to move from right to left in Figs. 2 and 3, thereby permitting the egress of the fowl (the detent t being assumed to be in the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2).

When it is desired to clean the nest-box, the coilspring is detached therefrom and the nest-box is drawn slightly to the rear to disengage the front end of the finger c from the hole m. The nest-box may then be removed through the opening normally closed by the lid b. Ieretofore, so far as known to me, the tray has been attached to the closing devices and to the pivots on Which it tilts as to be not readily removable from the inclosing box.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention7 I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof; and I, therefore, reserve the right to make all such changes as fairly i'all Within the scope of my invention.

I claim:

l. In a trap-nest, the combination of a box formed with an opening for the passageof the hen; a cover for said opening; means for moving said cover; said means being i'ormed with an aperture; a tray formed With a lug which projects into said aperture, and with a groove in its bottom; and a support for said tray, said supportv Iitting in sait groove Iree to be removed therefrom; whereby said tray may be readily disengaged from said means and support for cleaning.

2. In a trap-nest, the combination of an inclosing box formed with an opening for the entrance and exit of the lien; a spring-controlled tray mounted free to tilt in said box; a toothed sector pivotally mounted on a wall of said box and operatively connected with said tray; a lever one end of which is formed with teeth in mesh with said sector; and a cover for said opening Carried by the other end of said lever.

3. In a trap-nest, the combination of an inclosing box formed with an opening for the passage of the hen; a tray movably mounted .in said box; a cover for said opening t said cover being formed with an ear; mechanism operated by said tray lor moving said cover towards and from said opening; and a detent tripped by said ear in the passage of said cover to its closing position said detent serving to lock said coverin closing position.

4. In a trap-nest the combination of a box formed with an opening for the passage of the lien; a eover for said opening; a plurality of toothed members for moving said cover one of said members being formed with a slot; and a tray formed with a lug which engages in said slot and mounted free to tilt in said box.

5. In a trap-nest, the combination of a box; a wire stretched across said box; and a tray formed with a. groove; said wire iitting in said groove and serving as a support about which said tray tiltsA In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses a1; said Coudersport this twenty-second day of November, 1906.

` WILL n. oLMs'rED.

Witnesses:

C. M. WHITE, KATHERINE B. MConMIeK. 

